Crossbar switches are connected to equipment by a plurality of cables, each of which is individually connected to a port in the crossbar switch and a port in the equipment. The plurality of cables can form a complex maze of cables due to the overlapping and intertwining of the cables as they connect various ports in the crossbar switch to the various ports in the equipment. It is difficult to identify which cable is connected to which ports on the equipment and the switch within the maze of cables. Typically, when the connection between a crossbar switch and the equipment is to be changed, a technician follows the connecting cable through the complex system of intertwined cables to find the other end of the cable. It is easy to mistakenly disconnect the wrong cable after attempting to follow a single cable through the maze of cables.
A connector that is connected to a plurality of cables often experiences significant strain from the weight of the cables, which can result in a shortened lifetime of the connector/cable interface.